Automotive driving axle



Dec. 25, 1934. 1 R. BUCKENDALE n AUTOMOTIVE DRIVING AXLE Filed Dec. l0, 1952 3 Sl'xeetS-Sl'xeffkl 1 /////lllll 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 25, 1934. l.. R. BUCKENDALE AUTOMOTIVE DRIVING AXLE Filed Dec. io, 1 932 Dec. 25, 1934. A L. R. B'UcKn-:NDALE 1,985,815

' AUTOMOTIVE DRIYING AXLE Filed Dec. 1o, 1952 s sheets-sheet 5 beg.

" This finventi-chzn` :relates to automotive i interchanged; to facilitate 30 seesin Figfs. i i

dri ngi` axles of thekindfwheiein the wheels areiind`e`z pendently .driven rbyfseparatel bevel gear sets=1en-l closed 'withini housings mounted on `the `lends y'of the'f'loadsupporting axlei The principarobjects ofr"the present `invention are to dispense withthe use" of right and left hand `gears for driving'fthe respective-1.whe'els; to 'provide duplicate lparts l`at theopp'osite endscf the axle whichmay be freelyf assembly- I and disasfy sembly of the parts; toprovide for' the 'proper holisin'gfflubrication 'land-"support of rthe gearing L and'liveaxle'shaftsand to produce a strong@com-fL pact'andldurable axle.:` The invention consistsin the .automotive driving axle' and `in the "constrcf-I tion-, combinationsl Afand @arrangements of parts hereinafter describedan'dl claimed. ff L rfthe :accompanying drawings," 'whichff'form part :liofvthis specification and fwherein .like "sym-rI 011 bols refer? to like parts whereverthey. occur;

fFigj -1` is a plan; view of aniautomotivei drivingV axle: `:vcnstru'ction embodying my. l' invention;

f'Figf 2*iska rear elevation fsaiddriving xlei construction;l

Fig. t 3f is a vertical central on the line 3-3 in Fig..1,' f n Y n n n Figw4v` isla vertical transversefrsection on the lineHinFigL; and l l @Figa =is a vertical'tiansverse sectionontheiline* rMy axle belongs tothetype ofiautomotivev driv` ingv axlevknown as' a drop axle and :comprises a' fxedfl'oad supporting beam or axle `Afprovided at ea'chrledwith a full oatinglive axlefshaftB that isfflocatedv above and? extends beyondthef` iix'edl axle :fand is preferably driven by a sepa'ratep'owerv4 "0' tiene; @indiaan 1 axle sharo-l `1351s, rpmminteu"1 in' to receive throughan opening 2 in thejfrqnt' wall,

thereof .aLbevel gear set fori driving theaxleshaft w. mism :member Gammons the bevatte:

gear-f Stfr the axle Sha-ft B. said gear icarrierr covering the 4gear receiving opening in said Vfront` Wall 0f said-*housing member. vThe housing memeA berC lis provided atits innerlower corneriwith an" `by"st uvflbolts 1 to 4a seat provided thereprojection: 'lion thefouter endwall of `the housing? memberC andsprovidedl ati-its outer `end with" ai driving" disk i8,1Whichfinterlocksxwith an annularf plate112i to ythetfout'er end of ".thez Wheel hub 11;'

bearings, preferably-inner .fand outer tapered roll-` ezbearings' 13llandz'14; Iresp'ectively; '-:The inner" bearing; I13 'is interposed between the inner end spring Vseat to vvhichabody Supprtingside spring` 5.?is secured by means of. theusual U-'bolts 6; *u 'i I 1 Tlieiaxle shaft B `extends throughfva tubular portiorifofi the wheelrhub 1 14 and "the :tubular-por-f tion 7 on? therhousing member Cj and. the fouter bearing r14fsis interposed between ithe outer. end portion-of said wheel hubiand the' projecting outer` end portionamfiza-"sleeve' 15 l that removably se-i cured. withinsaidftubular portion, `preferably by:

means of 'onei orfmore 'screwf'studs2116.1-"The bear-1, l

` ings- 13rand 14lareiadjustedgb`y-means of an adi:

jsting nut 171fthreadedgonfthelouter end :of the f sleeve 15 inabutting' relation to Aitheconegor; inner racewaymeinberofs the outerbearing Y14.iA A suit-3 able oil seal 18 is mounted on the tubular `axle s'haftzreceiving portion.v "I ofstthe housing :member C forl preventing; the escape of .oil from" said 'house in'g atfthis'point; sandfzlikewise', theinner end of the'wheel'hub l1 is equipped lwith'a? suitable oil sea119 forpreventing the iescapeof oil therefrom;V

l llh'e 'beveli l gearing for fdriving .eachz axle shaft B con'iprise's a large "bevelfdriven gea'r. 20, which has an elongated hub 21" splineduon` the'iinnerf endlI of said shaft;.and"a bevel driving pinion' 22, whichV is; mounted fon; the,` inner fend ofl za pinion shaftA 23%` journaled suitable .antifrictionl Linear@` ingsf24 mounted in a forwardly iprojectingnose portion`25of theigear carrier D; fThe kelongated hubrportion 21 of th'tlargeffbe'vel drivenngear is fjournaled at Aits opposite yends inia'ntifricf` tion'bearings 26 and 27 seated"pedesta1slorf boxes 28 and" 29," respectively,` 1 that v extend rear` 1 wardly. from ...the gearcarrierxD'into the 'chamber, in the'v housingv membeir G through` the open# ing -2 irrt-hef front. wall thereof `:Preferablyboth oifthese pedestals arersplit .to Afacilitate ,mount rieralflieantifrictiou .bearing 26 onvthe pinion sideof5thej large bevel.; driven gear20 preferably comprises` y @lQiiblfif cnical `Haller bearing-f and` the antifrictionbearing 2'74 jlocatedont `the other ortrearrside of Said; gear, preferablyqmprsesa cylindrical roller bearing. By` this arrangement, the bevel gearing is journaled in the gear carrier D in proper intermeshed relation and is removable from the housing member C with the gear carrier as a unit by withdrawing the axle shaft B endwise from the elongated hub 21 of the bevel gear20.

A brake .drum- 30 is removably securedl to the wheel hub 1l bymeans of bolts 31';A which-also serve to secure the disk portion 32 of the road wheel to said hub. Cooperating with the inner 34 mounted in lugs 35 on an annular brakespider 36 that is removably secured to the ,-outer. end

of the housing member C by means offcrapso;eway

37. The brake shoes 33 areoperatedby means of a suitable cam 38 on ashaft-Sgjornaled in a bearing provided therefor in the braise spider 36. The cam shaft 39 is preferably actuated by means of a fluidinotor 40 which. is` removablyl secured by cap screws 40a to, a coverfplate 41," which is yremovably secured by cap screws'42zto the rear wall Lof .the housingmemberC and'closes the. opening 2a; therein. Thewfluid-'motoriw-has.

a stem 4017 operatvely'connectedatci one arm of` a lever43 journaled on 'a p'm @iffixed` to an:

outstanding lug '45 onthe back. of the rear cover plate'y 41. The; other. arm ofi the lever43 isipiv'.

otally connected Vtouone end ofla llink .4d-whose; other end` is pivotally connected to a yoke 47,.

which. straddlesthe top'of thezhousing' membervr C.` One' branch fof thai-yoke 47 is-.journaled-on a stud: 48 mounted in a recess'provided therefor.r

in the inner end waiiofithe housing memberC;

yand the other bramen of said' yoke -iournaled` on thel camfishaft `39,1and isalso connected by.`

means of ai bolt 49 tothe outerY end .'ofan arm 50 having a' hub` 50a, Whichsrrolinds and isl rotatably'. supported on. the hub of afvvormI wheel rxed to said.. cam shaft.y The arm issnmtmally prevented from turning on the worm'wheel, 51 by' means .of a. worm 52 Whose :shaft projects from said huh andjprovidesfmeans for adjusting the arm 50 with respect to the' worm Wheel. Theworm shaft is locked in the desired position offadiustmentby means of` ainut 53" threaded thereon.

Anyoil thatescapesfrom the .end ofV the Wheelhubfll is delivered. byzan oit siinger,v

ring 54 on the brake spider 36 ntoa recess .55 in the housing-member and is .discharged'from said recess throughapipe ata pointjclear of the brake. drum,'thereby preventing such oil from reaching the brake shoesand interfering.' with the operation of the brake.

, The opening 2a in the rear. wallof each housing member C is located opposite to-and; isthe same rsize and shape as the opening 2 inthe fronti walll of said housing member. 42 that secure theV cover plate 41 tothe rear wall of each housingmember C are of the same.

size and are spacedfapart the same distance: as the cap screws 3` which secure the gearcarrier Dto the front wall of said housing.vv Thus, the bevel drive gearinggmay be inserted within the chamber in either housing member Cthrough either the front or rear opening therein, and the 'cover plates 41': may be used to cover either. of said openings. By' this arrangement,v it will be seen that a rear-'axle' assembly is prbiridedin which identically `formed parts maybe usedat opposite'ends of the axle. lIn'the constnictionV shown,v thetwo housing membersC arenierel'y turned end for end with respect to each other The cap screws v bevel with the gear carriers D covering the openings in the front of the housing members and with the covers 41 covering the openings in the rear of said housing member. This arrangement of the parts at the opposite ends of the axles locates the bevel gearing in the proper position for driving both axle shafts B in the same direction; and it also locates ther fluid., .motors and tne. i. other braka-Giuaingp'arts fQr. whel Substantially the same positions relative to the lon- ,fgitudinal center line of the Vehicle. By this arsurface of the brake drum 30 is a pair of brake shoes 33 that are pivoted at one enti upon-pins;

rangement, the use of right and left hand parts,

.pattei'nmigsgfiteols and different machine oper- ,f,at ions, are dispensed with, thereby materially redueingl thelcostof manufacture as well as reducing tli'eznuinbe vci parts that are carried in stock by the .manufacturer and dealer.

vine-wont of 'mounting and dismounnng and adjustingpf the parts is greatly simplied by my invention, and it provides a construction that is more compact .and .strongy and lessaliable to get ont-ofi orderthan. earlier constructions.. The. construction also. has fthe;:LimportantIy advantagel that itpermitstheif gearing` to beure/moved from thelhousingmembenwithout removing'the Wheel;` its bearings or the vehicle-.sprngfmerely by with;- drawinggthe axle'y shaftfrom the hub ofthe large bevel. driven gear and `by-re moving-.thecap screws. which; secure the carrier .for '1 saidfgear vto housingmen'i ber. =y t z "What Lola-im is.,

v1; automotive# zaxle construction comprising :a1 fixed faxle, fduplicate -:ghou'sngS mountedfon .the ends oi'saidpiixedt axle, the inner ends :of y'the respective-1;housings1 being integral withzgthe bodiesr-thereoif duplicate axle shaftsl mounted in the. respeetivehousings, interchange-f. ablesetsiof ,bevel .gearingl mounted .in `said housingsforldriving the axle shafts therein,` the. drivegears oiibothsets operating infthe .samerdirectiony eachjof saidzhcusings having openings .in its oppositewalls .through-.whichfthe setofbevel gearingtherefor maybeinsertedin and removedfrom said housing, and a carrier for said set of gearing adapted 5to.; be: secured. .tov either! lof saidwailsto close the opening therein.. I:. .1 l2. An .-automotive .driving v'axle construction comprising a fixed axleifv:..duplicate vliousings mounted. onatheendsof.,` said fixed axle; duplicate axle shafts mounted in the respective housings, interchangeable---sets` of.: bevell gearing mounted in said housings for `drivinggtheaxle shafts there' in; thedrive gears of both sets :operatingin the.. same ..directioni each: of; saidil housings having openings. in .itsppposite lwalis through which .the

` set-.of bevel-gearing' thereformayibe insertedinand removed from said housing, a cover plate,r and aca-rrierforsaidsetpf bevel` gearing, each of said cover plate andsaid'carrier beingadapted; te be secured.- tdgeitherof saidhousing .walls-to closets@ Openingtherem J 1 .3. An auton'iotive d :iving,-`axle construction comprising-a xedfaxleiduplicate housingmeml` bersm'ounted onthe ends of said fixed laxl`afand having openings in opposite walls of substantially.v the"same 'sizye` .and shainel` duplicate Aaxle shaftsr munite@ .in the respective housings,... duplicate v'gear sets mounted in the respectitefhousings for driving" theb axle shafts therein vand insertable 'inA 'and removable 'froin said: housings throughfeither opening therein, the cirive'gearsr` oit-both 'setsA operating inthe samedirection,l du# plicate carriers vforv supporting said gear sets and` for severing' 'the' openings' in one-wau- "of 'nievrespecti'v'ehousings,A andduplic'ate coverplate's for respective housings, said carriers and said cover `plates being each adapted to cover` the openingl in either wall of either housing.

4. A drive wheel mounting for vehicles comprising a fixed axle, a housing detachably secured on said axle, a road wheel, means on said housing for rotatably mounting said wheel, a live axle projecting into -said housing and being removable Without disturbing said `wheel in its mounting means, means detachably and drivingly connecting said live axle to said wheel, an opening in the front wall of said housing, a cover plate for said opening, a driving bevel gear and a pinion associated as a unit and insertable in and removable from said housing through said opening, said driving gear and pinion being mounted on said cover plate and removable with the latter as a v unit, said driving gear and said live axle being detachably interconnected for driving engagement, whereby, upon disconnecting said live axle from said drivinggear, said driving gear and pinion may be readily removed from and inserted within said housing, through said opening. K

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said housing is provided with an opening in the rear wall thereof, and a cover plate for said rear opening, said two cover plates being interchangeable.

LAURENCE R. BUCKENDALE. 

